Tintement, Adam and Maurice quickly went to work trying to get their last few belongings into the carriage. They went out of the house two at a time because Belle was still unconscious from fainting. No one didn't want to risk leaving Belle alone in either the cottage or the carriage, in case they were being watched. Lefou was still unconscious from when Tintement gave him that harsh blow to the head. It was hard to keep their worries at bay as they moved the last few things, but they did what ever they could not to get into a frenzy.
The hour was almost up when Adam carried Belle onto the very full carriage, Maurice quickly got in after them. Tintement was just about to hop into the carriage...until she heard other horses and the rough footsteps of mens' boots.
"Go without me!" Tintement shouted as she went around the carriage.
"We can't!" Maurice shouted, "I lost you once! I can't lose you again!"
"Go! Move it!" she shouted, she slapped the rear of the horse. The horse reared and ran off into the forest.
"Tintement!" Maurice yelled as he tried to grab the reins of the horse.
"At least...Belle will be safe." Tintement said to herself as she stared out into the forest.
"Hey you!" shouted a man's voice. Tintement wasn't afraid as she turned around. There was a small group of men, only five of them with three on horses, but there was one that stood out from all of them. He had these dark green eyes, black hair, wearing brown leather pants and a black jerkin and was more muscular and taller than the other men.
"What do you want with me?" Tintement said, staring straight into the man's green eyes.
"Do you know a woman named Belle?" he asked as he hopped off his horse.
"Why is that important?" she asked.
"You must tell me where she is if you know her!" he shouted.
"I won't tell you, even if you threaten me!" Tintement said in a bold voice, "You worthless excuse of a man!" The four other men gasped as they went back a few steps.
"No one talks back to Anton!" the black-haired man said as he stepped up to her.
"So you're Anton." Tintement said as she crossed her arms, "I was right, a worthless excuse of a man!" Anton raised his arm, he was going to slap Tintement across the face. But before he landed the blow, Tintement quickly dodged it. Anton swung around in a circle and fell backwards to the ground. Tintement laughed at the spectacle, but that made Anton furious. "A place where you belong!" she teased, "A pig playing in the dirt!" Tintement could see the fire in his eyes as he stood up. "What's wrong?" Tintement asked, "Scared of fighting a girl?"
"You're no match for me!" Anton shouted.
"Care to prove me wrong?" she teased, "Or are you too chicken to fight me?" Anton was so angry that he was going to do whatever it could to beat down Tintement. The other men just stayed out of it, they didn't want to get in the way of Anton's anger.
"You're nothing but cowards!" Anton shouted at the men, who were now scared of Anton.
"Quit stalling with your anger!" Tintement shouted, "I'm waiting!"
"Whoa! Whoa!" Maurice said to the horse as he tried to grab the reins. Adam was holding onto both the carriage and to Belle, who was still fainted. He didn't want Belle to fall of the carriage. The horse was still galloping from Tintement slapping its behind. After four failed attempts, Maurice finally grabbed the reins on the fifth try. "Whoa! Whoa!" he said again as he pulled the reins, the horse calmed down and slowed down to a trot when he felt someone grab the reins. The horse soon came down to a stop, Maurice looked over at Adam. "Is Belle...?"
"Don't worry," Adam said as he sat up, "she's okay."
"You?" Maurice asked.
"I'm fine." Adam said.
"I just hope Tintement is okay as well." Maurice said in a worried voice.
"If she's as tough as she says," Adam said, "then I think she'll be fine." Maurice didn't seem convinced.
"I thought she was gone when her parents died," Maurice said, "I thought my family was gone, now that I know Tintement is alive...I don't know if I can handle it again."
"I've seen Tintement try and fight me." Adam said, remembering when Belle and Tintement were still under the spell by their Aunt Celia, "She packs quite a fighting spirit in her. I still think she'll be fine." Maurice was still very skeptical about it, Adam then crossed his arms. "How long has it been since you've seen Tintement?"
"Almost eleven years." Maurice answered.
"You don't completely know her since it's been so long." Adam added, "The least you can do is give a chance to believe that she'll be fine." Maurice was actually surprised by Adam's words, Adam just thought about what Tintement told him about second chances. He thought that Maurice should give it a chance that she'll be fine and will come back.
"You're right." Maurice said, "I should just believe that Tintement will be back."
"Good," Adam said as he smiled, "now let's get back to the castle before somebody sees us."
"You make sure that Belle doesn't fall off the carriage," Maurice said as he turned back to the road ahead, "I'll direct the horse."
"Very well, I won't push it." Adam said, Maurice snapped the reins, telling the horse to go forward. The horse went into a trot through the dark forest, but Maurice was able to remember what path to take from when they were heading to the village the day before. Adam just kept his eyes on his wonderful fiancee, who was still very much out of it.
After twenty minutes walking through the forest, Maurice started to remember his surroundings.
"We shouldn't be more than another ten minutes." Maurice said.
"You're right." Adam said looking around. There are things in the forest that he had done to remember his way back to the castle, when he was still a beast. He would claw trees and dig holes to make landmarks to know where he was and how far away his castle was. Adam saw one of those trees he clawed as Maurice passed it.
"If you have something on your mind, Adam," Maurice said, "you can tell me."
"I rather not," Adam said, "...considering your reaction back at the cottage."
"Ah...this about Anton." Maurice guessed. "That selfish greedy monster. Belle is a better person to explain about him and that no good brother of his...considering what he tried to do years ago."
"What happened?"
"I would rather wait until we get to the castle," Maurice said as he looked back at Adam, "I don't want Belle to wake up to end up hearing us talk about him." Adam only nodded, he sensed how tense and sensitive the topic was.
Adam looked behind him, Belle was just lying across the carriage roof. Her hands were on her stomach and her head was facing towards him. He gently grabbed her shoulders and positioned her where she was sitting in his lap. He could feel how cold she was, but there was something else he felt...fear. Whatever that man did to Belle...it was bad enough where anyone can sense her fear. Adam was going to make sure that Belle would never feel this way towards him nor about anyone else again.
After another ten minutes, Maurice and Adam saw the castle not too far away, only about ten feet away from the gate. When they got to the iron gate, Adam released Belle, hopped off the carriage and opened the gate. Once the horse and carriage were on the castle grounds, Adam closed the gate behind them. He thought about locking it, but like Maurice, he was worried about Tintement. He decided to lock the gate, but only enough where the wild animals can't get in. Adam walked across the bridge and met up with Maurice, who was just climbing off the carriage.
"Belle's still out of it." Maurice said as Adam approached, "I don't know how we're going to carry all those heavy trunks into the castle with all your servants asleep."
"Well...I think...they can stay out here for the night." Adam said, staring at the carriage, "I doubt anything in there is going to get stolen."
"You have a point." Maurice said, "Besides...Belle is due for a soft bed right now."
"So are you." Adam said, "Do you think you'll find your room on your own, Maurice?"
"You not asking me that just so you can have my daughter to yourself, are you?" Maurice asked, Adam's face suddenly turned pink. Maurice chuckled at the sight. "I'm just teasing, Adam. I can find my way to my room. Just make sure that Belle gets comfortable."
"I plan to, Maurice. You don't have to worry about that."
"Good then." Maurice said as he turned to the main door, "Have a good night, Adam."
"You too, Maurice." Adam said, Maurice walked into the castle, but he left the door open so Adam could get in. Adam climbed up to the carriage and gathered Belle in his arms. He walked through the front door and, with his back, closed it behind him.
As Adam carried Belle through the castle, he remembered the first time he did this for her. They had finished celebrating the broken curse, Adam was having one last dance with Belle. She started stumbling all over her feet...mainly because she hadn't slept it two days. At first, Belle was adamant that she was able to get up to her room on her own without Adam's help, but she almost fell flat on her face...and she would have...if Adam hadn't grabbed her in time. Belle finally decided to let Adam help her, but she wasn't expecting him to carry her in his arms.
Adam soon snapped out of his thoughts when he felt something on his purple jerkin. He stopped and looked down...to see Belle's small hand holding onto the jerkin, he looked at her face. Belle still had her eyes closed, but she started to snuggle up to close to Adam's chest. He felt Belle starting to get much warmer than she was before, freezing cold with fear, but now; she felt warm and happy. Adam just smiled to himself as he carried Belle the rest of the way to her room.
When Adam approached Belle's bedroom door, he slowly placed her on her feet so he could open the doorknob. When he opened the door, he helped Belle, sort of, walk into the room. Adam closed the door behind him and then placed Belle on the bed. He was about to stand back up, but he saw...and felt...Belle was still holding onto his jerkin. He was about to open her hand to let go, but then he heard her moan in her sleep.
"Adam," Belle moaned, "...don't...leave me again."
Adam didn't have the heart to try to remove Belle's hand from his jerkin, he knew that Belle needed him. He may not know what she was dreaming of or thinking of, but he knows when he's needed...and this was one of those times. Adam didn't care if he got in trouble with Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts or anyone else, he quickly tried to remove his boots and remove Belle's shoes. He left them next to the bed and got into the bed with Belle next to him. Adam gently pushed her hair back and whispered;
"Good night, my Belle."